The Stag and the Rose
by Shenko007
Summary: A collection of one-shots covering everything from AUs to xenophobia, featuring our favorite couple of Renly B. and Loras. Requests highly encouraged!
1. Chapter 1

AU: I really disliked what happens to Renly B. in the books. So, here's my answer to all the Baratheon problems, with the help from a rose. Warning: I changed a lot of things in the series, starting with this chapter obviously, but the story does have a happy ending. More from Renly's and Loras' POV. Please leave a comment if you want this story to continue! Thanks!

**The Stag and The Rose: Fire's End**

Something whispered to Loras, telling him to keep an even closer on his lover than normal. The King's tent was heavily guarded, with Brienne keeping a watchful eye on anything that might pose a threat. Unfortunately, not all threats originate from the world of man and a dark shadow loomed in the dark corners of its target's safe abode.

Renly Baratheon had unknowingly called for Loras, whether it be from his heart or mind, for help with undoing the buckles to his golden armor.

The beautiful blonde had a comment ready to fire at his lord's incompetence with undressing himself when the shadow foresaw an opportunity to strike.

"Renly! Get down!"

The shout startled the King and he just now noticed how cold it became in his tent. A harsh shriek deafened his ear and a coldness ripped in his side. Agony blinded him to the scuffles in his tent, to another scream but of defeat. He felt oddly weak and couldn't get up from what he thought as groveling on the soft grass.

A pair of strong hands, not his Loras', gently turned him over and he gasped, as if now realizing how to breathe.

"My Grace!" It was Brienne of Tarth, the tall graceful female warrior who looked down at him with frightened eyes.

"Lo...Loras?" He asked and felt a twinge of guilt when he realized that he should have asked for the slender Margaery.

"It was a shadow! A damned shadow!"Someone else shouted angrily but Brienne ordered him to quieten.

"Where is..." The name came out in a wet cough and Brienne's face paled at the sight of crimson rivulets running down the downed King's lips and chin.

"He is rallying the guard and has sent for your wife already."

"No..." Renly struggled to get up but Brienne's hand firmly pushed him back down. "...Loras...L..."

His beloved's name followed him into merciful darkness, a blanket of comfort against the nightmares.

-o0o-

He awoke suddenly, a scream of agony awakening those who stood vigil over his bed. A face of sunlight came into his view and the sight of his beloved calmed him almost immediately.

"...where...how..." Memories of the night before skittered before him, like mice scrambling to their holes once light shone upon them. All he remembered was the sudden coldness and harsh breathing in his ear before excruciating pain erupted forth into his body and mind.

Loras stroked the side of his face lovingly and what fears the young King had in ousting their relationship to the others were quelled when he noticed that only Brienne and Margeary were present, though their backs had respectfully turned on them, to give the pair much needed privacy.

His mouth felt unnaturally dry and he licked his lips. Before he could ask for a cup of water, Loras had already placed it in his hands, urging him to drink with a soft whisper. Cool liquid seeped into his mouth and revitalized his parched body.

The fog in his mind cleared enough for Renly to fully realize the extent of his injury and his hand lifted the heavy blankets from his body. A bandage stretched out on his lower torso and it was clear of blood for now. However, feeling the crispness of the gauze told him that his wound was recently dressed and he snapped his gaze back at Loras, intimately knowing that it was his beloved who had taken care of him for the past day.

"Stannis...the battle?" Renly promised his brother that no means of assassinations would occur before the anointed time. It seems, however, that the idea was not mutually shared.

"We won," Loras said with a grim smile on his fair face. It seemed so far out of place, Renly thought, to see such a grim expression on a face full of sunshine and life.

"But how?"

It was then that Brienne had turned around, with Margaery smiling upon the both of them, more at her brother than Renly.

"Loras had the wits to order a witchhunt and with Melisandre slain from a beheading and her body burned to ashes, Stannis had no chance to confront us successfully, your Grace."

The female soldier's unwavering formality, even when talking to a wounded King, never failed to amaze the Tryells, let alone Renly.

"But, how did Loras find out about this?"

"Something compelled me to your tent at the right time and I saw a shadow hovering near you. Knowing that the red priestess had threatened you with shadows of terrors from the meeting with Stannis earlier, I realized that _she_ is the source of Stannis' power and ordered only the best to capture her."

The youngest and only Baratheon heir to the throne left from this wretched war of the Kings, Renly literally felt sick to his stomach and he pushed Loras to the side none too gently only to retch over the side of his bed. Luckily, Loras knew his king so well that a bucket had been placed there earlier in the morning. The blonde soothed his king with long strokes along his back and he whispered comforting phrases in Renly's ear as the king continued emptying his stomach until his body had nothing left to give.

Once the heaving stopped, Loras asked for a wet cloth and he laid it across the pale forehead as Renly collapsed back into the satin sheets, exhausted and still feeling weak from his wound.

"Is Lady Stark well?" His question brought relieved smiles to his visitors' faces for despite the assassination attempt on his life, nothing could change his good heart.

"She is well and recovering in her own tent." Brienne answered and Renly nodded his thanks, though the movement brought another bolt of pain lancing through his head.

"Rest," Loras whispered to him softly and Renly knew that all was well whenever he would gaze into Loras' gentle eyes. Hypnotized by the deep green, Renly sighed out his lover's name, his eyes fluttering closed as he fell into a healing sleep.

The threesome watched their liege fall asleep and it was Loras who kissed the slumbering man. Margeary smiled approvingly at the gesture while Brienne tried to look stoic but she too smiled, though small in comparison to her grace's wife.

"That was too close," Brienne said quietly, not wanting to disturb her King's much needed rest. "Are you sure the red priestess is dead? I know not of magic but hers is quite disturbing and powerful.:

"Yes," Loras answered in a hard voice. The blonde Knight brought the blankets up to cover his King and faced the tall female. "I made sure of it,"

The steeled glint in the once affable and charismatic Knight's eyes did not frighten Brienne of Tarth. Instead, she returned that same steely gaze and bowed briefly to the Tyrells before departing the tent.

Margeary shared the soldier's worry and Loras comforted her with an embrace. Tears dripped unto his shoulder guard but the older brother didn't care for that.

"We could have lost him..." the younger sister sobbed. "Are you for certain they are both gone?"

"Do you not believe in me, sister?" Loras asked. Margaery sniffled and she shook her head in reply.

"I will see to Lady Stark and see how she fares,"Margaey pulled back from her brother's warm hug and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. "Take care of him."

"Always," Loras promised his sister and he watched her leave the King's tent. The happiness in his eyes that always alighted upon the sight of his dear sister soon waned to worry over his King's health. What Loras did not tell the pair was how he killed the red priestess. How her eyes widened in fright and terror at the sword of Light being held in the hand of a different man. Her cries of 'No! You can't be the one! You can't be the Prince!' were not lost on deaf ears as he swiftly brought down the sword on the priestess' slender neck. His weapon burst into fire at the cutting of the witch's head but Loras had no time then to ponder over the significance of it. All he cared about it was getting revenge for her attempt to end the one thing that mattered most to him. Renly was important to him, more important than his family even, and Loras swore to the Old Gods and New that he would do everything in his power to protect his King.


	2. Ours is the Fury, part I

**_Ours is the Fury_**

A storm brewed outside the impenetrable fortress that held Storm's End. Terrible winds lashed against the few banners that flew the late King Renly's colours. The sea, as if sent by the angry Sea God, crashed against the cliff violently, foaming and frothing against the castle's immense towers and thick stoned walls. For countless generations, the castle held strong and immovable against the temperamental seas. Tonight would not be any different.

Ser Penrose, as many others who personally knew and once served the deceased Lord of Storm's End, mourned the first month of his passing. However, only the aged warrior knew the truth behind his Lord's death and every day he had prayed to the Old Gods and New that vengeance would come swiftly to Lord Renly's enemies. That Ser Loras Tryell, who was caught in a power play between the Lannisters and his own House, would find comfort in his lover's vengeance. Neither could ever know that a death taken unnaturally and through dark means had wrought terrible havoc on the balance of life and death. That magic had its own laws to obey.

And thus, as the seas raged against Storm's End and storms thundered across the fertile plains of the Stormlands, none of the bannermen still loyal to Renly's name and deeds could perceive a figure rising from a hidden alcove, tall and pale in the stormlight. None would see this figure answer their prayers of retribution until the Gods willed it.

-o0o-

Ser Loras, now a member of the Kingsguard, stood by King Joffrey's side but while his body stood sentinel over the monstrosity of a King, his heart and soul stayed true to his dead lover. Poor Margaery had to entertain her new husband and the blonde Kingsguard was awed at her courage in dealing with Joffrey's mad ways. Unbeknowest to him, Joffrey never had a chance to relish in his marriage to the lovely Tyrell. Ser Loras briefly felt guilty at not protecting his liege from an assassin's poison but the sudden realization that the cup was passed from Margaery to the now dead King made him fear for his sister's safety. Swords were poor weapons of choice when dealing with assassins or those who dabbled in dark magic.

After many accusations were thrown, including his own suggestion of Sansa being a possible culprit, and several weeks later, Tommen was the next King his sister had married to further tie the allegiance of the Tyrells with the Lannisters. Unlike his mad and cruel brother, Tommen at the tender age of ten showed more innocence in his ruling and proved rather pliant to his sister's advice, an act that irked former Queen Cersei.

Queen Cersei. The name alone caused a shiver in his body but Loras dares not to publicly display his revulsion of Cersei and her entire family of the Lannisters. It was they who had so callously executed the honourable but foolish of a man, Lord Stark. They who murdered the rest of the Starks at a false wedding and even now, there were rumors of Lady Stark's wraith haunting the roads that led to and from the Twins.

At her and her father's commands, bolder men dared to cross the line of chivalry into murder and now, at her command, he was ordered to breach the impregnable Dragonstone for the glory of the Lannisters. _More like for dragon eggs that could be put to the Lannister's use. _

It doesn't matter now, not anymore. Nothing mattered ever since he failed in his duty to protect what was important, what was his.

Loras' golden eyes glistened with tears as he remembered the fateful night so clearly, as if it happened yesterday. How still his Lord Renly laid on the bare ground of his tent, murdered in the one place he should have been the safest. How he went mad with grief and slew the two guards who failed in their duty to protect their liege lord. Loras regrets his actions now and he's surprised that their families bore no ill towards him. _They did not protect Lord Renly as they should have. Death was the right punishment._ That's what their fathers had personally told him and Loras perceived no lie in their eyes then.

It was with a heavy heart that he withdrew his forces back to Highgarden and he took his lover's body deep into the woods of the Stormlands, to bury him next to the largest oak tree where they professed their love in the innocent days. He even left his own signet ring with Renly, to guide his lover gently into the afterlife with memories of their days together.

Loras Tyrell didn't really sleep that night as he was continuously haunted by that night. He didn't really see the smallfolk cheering him and his soldiers on as they all rode out of King's Landing to take on the old Targaryen fortress. All he saw was Renly's last smile, all he felt was Renly's scruff as the man attempted to kiss but was spurned most cruelly.

As he charged needlessly against Stannis' bannermen, all he heard was the terrible roar of an incoming storm and the screams of dying men all around him.

-o0o

The battle at Dragonstone was terrible and devastated both the land itself and the men who fought underneath their respective banners. None felt it so strongly than Stannis and his fire priestess who had fought at the top of Dragonstone. She protected her lord with fire born from men's blood and thus not freely given by the Lord of Light Himself as she professed. Stannis ordered for his men to pour boiling oil out of holes that littered the sides of the tower and shrieks of the oil's victims was music to the only Baratheon survivor.

Amidst the throng of men who clambered against the solid gate that barred the way into the fortress was Ser Loras himself and Stannis cursed at the presence of the Knight of the Flowers. Melisandre threw fire at the young man who was successfully leading the vanguard but it disappeared. A cry of frustration erupted from her throat and she tried again and again, but to no avail. Fire dissipated harmlessly around her would be victim and the witch wondered if the Lord of Light had abandoned her.

Stannis saw the true dark magic he held in his hands. He saw how fiery she became, her eyes gone black and her entire robes lit aflame. But nothing frightened him as much as the lone figure who carried an injured Loras away from the battle. Those broad shoulders that never really knew the weight of a sword bore a seemingly unconscious Tyrell away from danger and Stannis leaned over the battlements, a most risky thing for him to do for it brought him into perfect view of the archers down below him. His cold grey eyes espied what had haunted him the most. The figure, as if sensed being watched, turned round and Stannis gasped out loud. Blue eyes sparkled at him and Stannis' heart grew cold. The Lord of Dragonstone screamed at his fiery witch to strike that abomination down, to ease the growing guilt of being the kinslayer with nothing to show for it. Stannis did warn his little brother; he gave him a chance to join him and his death gave him no joy either. But it had to be done, Melisandre said. It had to be done.

_Yes, Stannis...it had to be done..._

That voice! The unmistakable tenor of Renly Baratheon. However, it lacked the wit and charm. Now, it just sounded full of righteous vengeance and Stannis knew that he was going to pay for his transgressions. Not today. Not now. But one day, he'll face Renly's ghost and be done with it. _I'm sorry, Shireen._

-o0o-

News of Dragonstone's capture flew wildly all throughout the lands and Cersei's smile brightened while Margaery's face saddened when the two ladies were told of Loras being missing in action.

"My Queen," one of Loras' bannerman knelt before her, bloodied and sweaty from the battlefield. "He was borne away by a mysterious swordsman who wore a golden armor."

Margaery's eyes widened at what the guard was saying. However, she dared not openly show her relief in front of the former Queen. Instead, she asked the guard who had taken her brother away.

"It was Lord Renly, your grace," the guard answered honestly. "Or his ghost at least."

"Don't be ridiculous," the blonde Lannister spat at the guard, her malcontent visible to all at court. "The dead stay dead, no more, no less."

"On the contrary," Margaery said, "was it not Ser Beric who was rumored to have died seven times already?"

Cersei's furious scowl at the Queen was noticed by everyone but Margaery allowed the guard to continue his tale of what had happened at Dragonstone. Upon finishing, the King, listening to his Queen's suggestion that the guard be awarded for relaying the news so quickly, informed the guard that he would be given a reward of 1000 gold pieces and a minor title as well.

As Cersei tried to assuage her son in saying that ghosts can do no harm to living men, Margaery's heart lifted for her brother's wish had come true. That Renly had found his way back to him. _Growing strong, my brother. Growing strong..._

-TBC-

A/N: This will be a three-part one shot and I hope the reader enjoys the idea so far. Thanks for reading and please comment on the story itself!


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